Tell Me a Story
by Eileniessa
Summary: After a spell makes Yennefer dangerously ill Geralt spends entire days and nights beside her trying to care for her, a task made even more impossible by the fact that Yennefer is more of a hindrance than a help on her own path to recovery.
1. Side Effects

**Artwork by AkiDragonManga (DeviantArt)**

* * *

Disclaimer:

This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the books by Andrzej Sapkowski and the game series by CD Projekt Red. I do not claim ownership to any of these characters and have written this fanfiction for entertainment, not financial gain.

* * *

The vineyards were flooded with incandescent light which made the luscious green leaves and fat, juicy grapes even bolder and more vibrant in colour as though the landscape had been plucked right from a picture.

"We thank you again for the invitation, Master Geralt. It is both an honour and a delight to have a taste of some of Corvo Bianco's wine." Said Guillaume de Launfal turning in his saddle to face the Witcher, armour clanking ever so slightly.

"Indeed, your wine is fast becoming the talk of Toussaint. I dare say there isn't a vintner out there who wouldn't give you piles of gold to know the secret behind your success. To have the vines recover so quickly and so well is a miracle in itself but to be able to produce a bottle of wine in a year is unimaginable." Added Lady Vivienne de Tabris, gently stroking the mane of her horse.

"Well, if anyone were to ask me, all I can say is that you need an incredibly beautiful Sorceress." Said Geralt smiling at the woman rising alongside him.

Colour wise, Yennefer stood in stark contrast with the plants growing around them. A white strapless blouse with short sleeves hugged her shoulders and spilt out slightly over the black and white corset accentuating her slender waist. Underneath it was a long black skirt divided into four long slits to reveal her knee-high boots and black stockings. Lascivious outfits were the only way the Sorceress could cope with the heat. Not that Geralt, or indeed most male passer-by's, minded.

"Mmmm is that so." She said, catching his eye.

"Well, that's what it looks like to me." He said. Yennefer smiled at him tilting her head ever so slightly to one side as though internally rolling her eyes at his oddly endearing compliments.

"So, magic is Corvo Bianco's special ingredient?" Pondered the knight thoughtfully. "That would, of course, explain a lot. I can see why you keep your success a secret, I dare say some of the other vintners would go to great lengths to acquire your magic."

"Seems you have some competition on your hands Geralt." Said the Sorceress mischievously. "I wonder, just what are you willing to do to keep me?"

"I-"

He stopped dead on the path, abruptly reining in Roach and turning away from Yennefer to stare out over the fields holding a hand out for silence, the others following his lead. It took them several seconds longer than the Witcher to register.

A humungous form burst from the ground about two hundred metres to their left, right in the middle of one of the vineyards sending a shower of dirt and grapes over the nearby workers. The Giant Centipede hissed menacingly as its prey scattered.

"Shit! Guillaumeget everyone to safety." Yelled Geralt as he spurred his horse forwards. "Yen-" He was forced to stop as a figure shot past him as Yennefer disappeared into the vineyard. "Yen!" He cursed before racing after her unsheathing his silver sword.

* * *

In a few seconds, the gentle lull of bird songs encompassing the fields was replaced with terrified screaming. The centipede had disappeared back giving them a precious few moments to prepare as it circled beneath its intended target.

There was another explosion of earth as the insectoid sprang up to the surface practically underneath one of the terrified workers, knocking him prone giving the monster the opportune moment to strike. As it flicked its back end out of the ground, diving down on its helpless victim a stream of purple lightning struck the side of its chitinous shell the force pushing it to the side where it soon vanished into the ground.

The worker frantically scrambled backwards too deafened by the sounds of his heart beating in his ears to notice the hooves churning the earth nearby until he saw a woman jump off her horse right before his eyes as she muttered some unknown language and blue light flooded from her fingertips. The ground vibrated again as the Centipede shot straight for her. She didn't even flinch.

The monstrosity curled up around itself on the floor as it smashed against the barrier encaging it taking only a few seconds to recover before going back underground only to find its way out blocked once more.

As the insectoid desperately churned up the earth Geralt nodded at Yennefer and the light flickered briefly as he stepped inside his footsteps sending waves through the ground. He waited. He listened.

With expert precision and timing, he rolled to the side as the Centipede sprang from the ground right over his head and as he did so the tip of his silver sword dug into the soft, exposed flesh on its underbelly sending gruesome and bloody contents over the fertile soil. The thing screeched in pain, curling up before ceasing to move at all.

* * *

As the monster's lifeblood fled from its body Yennefer and Geralt took one quick glance at each other, unheard questions and unheard answers passing between them in the brief second, before the moment of unseen intimacy ended and their attention was once again thrust upon the situation at hand as they knelt down beside prone worker.

"Sovad. Soavd! Can you hear me." Said the Sorceress shaking him gently. When he gave no answer, she slapped him across the cheek. There was still no response. Then, she saw it.

There was a gash on his midriff, just above the hip on the left side. The wound itself was a trivial thing. The issue is what had caused it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Geralt sniff the air around him. His face wrinkled in disgust.

"Poison." Said Geralt under his breath as some of the other workers tentatively came over to them, Vivienne and Guillaume among the crowd.

Yennefer didn't comment. The grim look on his face told her all she needed to know. She didn't need to look at the black liquid oozing from his side, didn't need to see his deathly pale skin nor hear his slow heart beat and shallow breaths. She didn't need to ask if there was any hope.

"Daddy…"

By now a small crowd had gathered around them, heads bowed in respect as a mournful silence hung in the air until the small plea dared to break its hold. The small figure emerged from between the many legs and vines towering above her, arms tightly hugging her sides as tears began to well in her eyes.

"Matilda." Said Yennefer softly walking over to the girl. The last of her resolve crumbled.

She flung herself into the Sorceress' embrace burying her unrestrained cries in her chest as she desperately sought comfort, but even Yennefer's affectionate hushes and caresses did nothing to lessen the pain.

While the congregation continued to look on Geralt found his gaze drawn to the raven-haired woman sitting on the floor a little across from him, a child held tightly in her arms. It was only he who recognised the way her features altered.

"Matilda, look at me." She said gently after several moments, peering down at the girl clinging to her as though her life depended on it. Slowly her bleary eyes looked up. "I need you to be strong for me, can you do that Matilda? For me, please."

The girl sniffed audibly, her face itching from the tears streaking down her face and dripping off her chin which the Sorceress delicately wiped away with the handkerchief Vivienne offered to her. Matilda made an indistinguishable murmur.

"Speak up my dear."

"I'll, I'll try my utmost to do so, Lady Yennefer." She answered quietly.

"Good. That's all I could ever ask for. Now, listen carefully Matilda because I'm going to be honest with you and I need you to understand what I'm about to say." She nodded. "There's something I can try, but it might now work. I can't make any promises but I'll try to save him, Matilda. Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes Lady Yennefer, thank you." She replied giving her a meek smile and holding her head up a little higher.

"Good. Now stand back and don't come any closer until I say do."

* * *

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like this idea?" Said Geralt grumpily as he returned to Yennefer's side after pushing the crowd back to a safe distance. Her silence was putting him on edge.

"Because you won't." She answered candidly, without looking at him. "It's a spell I've been working on for a while now, I can use it to extract the poison. I felt it would be something useful to have, given the lifestyle of both you and our little Empress. But, the spell is…hmmm how can I say this in a way you'd understand…let's just say that the spell is imperfect. It's unrefined and in such a state there could be…side effects."

"Who for?"

"Me." Geralt sighed. _Of course_ , he thought morbidly.

"What sort of side effects?"

"I don't know."

"Yen…"

"Geralt!" She snapped irritably glaring at him. "This isn't the time nor the place. I've made up my mind. I see no reason as to why the spell shouldn't work so I'm going to use it and I'll accept whatever consequences there are." He sighed.

"Geralt," she said tenderly offering him a small but sincere smile, "I know you dislike it when I endanger myself with spells and if there was another way, I'd take it, but this is all there is. I promise that this won't be like last time, whatever happens, I won't try and hide it from you. Then you can play Mother Hen to your heart's content. Okay?"

"Okay."

As Yennefer turned once more to the man lying at her feet, Geralt took several steps back but not enough that he couldn't reach her in time in case she passed out. He knew what she was like by now. But this wouldn't be like last time. Nothing could be like last time. He was wiser to it now.

* * *

"Galwaf ar y poen yn edrych" Bright blue tendrils of light began to fall from Yennefer's fingertips as she began the spell, wrapping themselves around Sovad who was still resting, unmoving, in the dirt "drwy'r gwythiennau hyn i'w dynnu o'r gwaed ac i lanhau'r corf."

Every blood vessel in the man's body seemed to radiate the same calming light as Yennefer's magic surged through his blood purposefully searching for the poison ravaging his body and pulling it towards the surface, back towards the wound. After about twenty minutes several drops of black liquid began to seep from the cut.

"Rwy'n galw chi allan a'ch gwahardd!"

More corrupted liquid began to pool on the floor around him as its colour changed from a dark black to a more diluted grey until eventually clean crimson blood was flushed from his body which eventually died down to nothing more than a small trickle.

"Geralt, check him." Said Yennefer quietly as she closed her eyes and put a hand to her temple.

The Witcher nodded and took several steps towards the worker kneeling on the ground beside him. He could hear that his heart beat was already slowing back down to its normal resting pace and that his breathing had become more even while some colour was beginning to return to his skin as his eye fluttered open. He groaned loudly and tried to sit up.

"Easy there Sovad, take it slow." Said Geralt, helping him up into a sitting position. "That was a close call you had there."

"What…" He muttered in confusion before his eyes fell upon the carcass lying several metres away and his hand instinctively shot to the small gash on his side.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Matilda, after a nod from Yennefer to show her approval, ran full speed towards her father as she threw her arms around his neck.

"Shhhh, there there Matty, don't worry everything's alright." He said reassuringly, stroking her hair.

"I thought I was going to lose you too, like Mummy." Whimpered the small girl through small sobs but she was smiling broadly nevertheless as she turned to Sorceress. "Oh, thank you, thank you Lady Yennefer."

She smiled in gratitude, rolled her eyes, and fainted.

* * *

In the few seconds it took Geralt to reach her, Yennefer had already come back round but still seemed more than a little out of sorts as the Witcher knelt beside her propping her up against him to support her as they sat in the dirt.

"Hmmm, that was a little unexpected I'll admit, but not particularly bad as far as side effects go. Guess you've missed out on a chance to act Mother Hen, Geralt, much to my delight." Said the Enchantress running a hand through her hair to remove some of the locks obscuring her face.

"Yen, your nose is bleeding."

"Is it now."

She brought her hand up to her face, catching a few red droplets on her finger before wiping them away with another of Vivienne's handkerchiefs. Apparently, it was custom for Ladies in Toussaint to carry an infinite supply.

"Only a few drops Geralt, nothing to get excited over. Now let's get inside before this sunlight gives me a migraine, I-"

Yennefer bent over double sending raven locks tumbling over her shoulders as violent coughs racked her body.

"Yen…"

Gingerly Geralt pulled back some of the hair which was shielding her face from him and he saw that the handkerchief she had automatically brought up to cover her mouth was now coated in blood. A lot more than several drops. As his fingers brushed her face he could feel the heat emanating from her skin which was growing deathly pale before his very eyes as she continued to cough up blood eyes shifting in and out of focus as she went limp in his arms.

"Someone get me a horse, now!" Shouted the Witcher as he scooped Yennefer up off the floor as though she was made of air, her head lolling ever so slightly before she rested it against his chest, muttering something very quietly in a croaky voice.

"Guess I spoke too soon."

* * *

Notes

Hi guys, long time no see! Here's the first chapter of this little short story, some nice fluff to tie us over until The Realm of Glass and to make up for certain…things… that happened in Promises of Love, and Death. Hope you like it and sorry the chapter is short, I'm just pushed for time still with work and getting ready for university, should be an update every other week at least 😊

PS: If anyone is wondering about the 'last time' I've been mentioning, all I can say is that it's a reference (and a sneak peek) of one of the events set to happen in a story I'm working on (mentioned on my Tumblr) called 'Let Me Worry', because I imagine that all my stories are set in the same universe. If you're interested I've also created a timeline for my world on Tumblr :)


	2. Confusion

"She has a fever and most likely the flu but I cannot say this with complete and utter conviction." Said Vivienne as Geralt re-entered the bedroom where Yennefer was lying, fast asleep, on the bed under a thin white blanket. As he pulled a chair up beside her he saw Lady Vivienne scribble something onto a piece of parchment which she handed to him.

"With your permission, I'll have one of your workers ride into Beauclair and buy this remedy. A spoonful of this mixed with fresh juice each morning and each night should help to lessen some of the symptoms but again I cannot be sure, given the preternatural circumstances. Other than that, the only advice I can give is to make sure that the Lady gets plenty of rest and cold drinks and to keep a very close eye on her to ensure that she's comfortable and doesn't overheat. Hopefully, Guillaume will return from the city with someone better versed in magic who can give a second appraisal, just in case the rules for normal and magically induced illnesses vary."

"Thank you. Give the note to BB, he can handle it." Said Geralt as he sank into the seat beside Yennefer.

The Lady nodded and, with the examination over and the questionable conclusions drawn, left the Witcher alone with the Sorceress who had, since he'd carried her from the vineyard, gotten worse.

Yennefer had lost consciousness twice and been sick several times until there was nothing left in her stomach to come back up and her throat was sore from so much dry, chesty coughing, though at least she'd stopped coughing up blood. He'd had to close all the curtains in the room to help lessen the blinding headache which had made it almost impossible for her to drift to sleep despite the fact that she'd struggled to keep her eyes open and the rest of her body seemed to ache as though her bones had suddenly become stiff and heavy, meaning that any movement was physically exhausting.

Geralt was at a loss. He'd seen Yennefer suffering from the side effects of spells before, the slight nausea, dizziness and tiredness, but this…this he had not been expecting. He'd never seen anything like this before. He should have known better. Should have known that Yennefer would likely under-exaggerate the severity of these side effects, that she might have neglected to mention the dangers in using incomplete spells. But, then again, she might not have expected this either. He sighed. There was a tap at the door.

"How fares the Lady, Master Geralt." Asked Barnabas-Basil Foulty as he entered the room.

"I don't know." He answered bluntly, not taking his eyes off the bed. "I've never seen Yen react to a spell like this."

"Do not fear Sir, I'm am certain that Lady Yennefer will pull through this unscathed, besides, it's clear to see that she is in very capable hands." He said politely, walking up to the Witcher.

"Thanks, BB." Said Geralt and the Majordomo bowed his head.

"I'll make all the necessary arrangements to ensure that Lady Yennefer has everything she needs and Lady Vivienne is currently reassuring some of the workers. They are eager to know how she fares and will undoubtedly offer any assistance they can. Should Sir Guillaume return with aid I will send them to you forthwith."

"Thank you." He bowed his head again shutting the door gently behind him and leaving Geralt to his circumspect vigil.

* * *

Another hour later and Geralt's silent watch was broken by the slight humming of his medallion followed by the whooshing of the door as the unannounced guest barged in.

"I need to know what happened if I am to assist Yennefer, but make it quick I have other matters which require my attention but apparently my dear cousin Anna deems these to be of little importance in comparison to 'dear Yennefer' and her well-being." Said Fringilla Vigo snidely as she strode gracefully over to the bed without throwing so much as a backwards glance in Geralt's direction. "Move to the side Witcher, unless you'd rather I didn't help her."

He obliged her without a word and the Enchantress quickly took his vacated seat and began muttering a spell, her hands pulsating with barely visible light as they hovered over Yennefer's sleeping form.

"There was a spell she's been working on, one to extract poison from a host," began Geralt as he perched at the end of the bed, watching Fringilla closely, "after using it she passed out for a few seconds and then these symptoms occurred."

"So, the spell is of her own making?" Asked the Sorceress with a note of interest. "I can see why such a spell would be useful to someone in her position, I dare say that the goal of looking after a lover and a daughter is a much stronger motivation for any mage than that of looking after their monarch. Did she tell you anything about the spell?"

"She said it was incomplete, unrefined, so might have side effects."

"She called them side effects, did she? Well, it's clear to see that Yennefer has no flare for the dramatic because I'd say that's an outrageous underestimation on her part, most would prefer to call them dire or horrible consequences, though I'd prefer to use the word, risks." Said Fringilla rather indifferently as she, at last, turned to look at him. "Though perhaps that was simply because she was trying to eschew the truth from you."

She heard Geralt sigh deeply as he leant over, arms resting on his legs as he clasped his hands together, brows furrowed as he looked at her.

"Will she be alright? Can you help her? Please." Fringilla sighed.

"It's unlikely that I can offer you direct help, but I can give you advice which will help her recover faster. I'll know more once I've finished examining her." She said and he nodded at her falling back into his quiet vigil.

* * *

"I see no reason why Yennefer won't make a full recovery," stated Fringilla about ten minutes later as the magic stopped flowing from her fingertips, "while the spell might not have been completely 'refined', to use her own words, it appears that the 'impurities' are only small and by no means drastic. The 'side effects' should last no more than two weeks, if, and only if, she takes proper care of herself, or as I would imagine, if you make sure she takes proper care of herself."

"Great." Muttered Geralt miserably. _I wish that was as easy as it sounds_ , he thought.

"All the usual rules for these symptoms apply," continued the Sorceress smiling ever so slightly, "but it's likely that they will come and go and Yennefer may still display other side effects such as loss of memory and fits. You'll know she's fully recovered when she reverts back to the state she was in before using the spell and that she's been in that state for over an hour."

"Thank you." Said Geralt as Fringilla rose to her feet. She nodded at him but said nothing as she made for the door. "Fringilla." Reluctantly she stopped, turning back round to him, internally cursing herself for doing it all the while. "Would you be able to contact Ciri, tell her what's happened, please?"

"Since when did I owe you any favours?"

"Please." She sighed.

"Fine. Oh and Geralt," she said with exaggerated sweetness, smiling unpleasantly at him, "one more trivial thing before I forget, nothing to worry about I assure you, but you must ensure that Yennefer remains bed-bound and doesn't use any magic until the effects of the spell have completely worn off otherwise her condition will deteriorate even more. Good luck." She slammed the door shut.

Geralt slumped down in the chair, looking over at Yennefer. He groaned. No magic. Sitting still. Eating well. Sleeping regularly. Being Careful. Being dependent on another. Pretty much everything Yennefer was shit at doing. He sighed.

"Could this get any worse."

Geralt shouldn't have tempted fate.

* * *

Another couple of hours passed in peace as Geralt watched over Yennefer. Vivienne and Guillaume, who had returned from Beauclair, keeping him company as the sun began to move from its throne in the sky so that the landscape was now depicted in orange light as the smell of fresh bread and warm stew wafted through the crack above the bedroom door.

"There's plenty more waiting Master Geralt, for when the Mistress wakes." Said Marlene, the Wight turned cook, as she and Basil walked into the room carrying trays of food.

"Thank you, it smells wonderful." Said the Witcher, accepting one of the trays, tearing a chunk out of the bread and dipping it into the steaming mixture and taking a bite. "Tastes even better."

"You're too kind sir." She smiled warmly at him before casting her eyes over to the bed. "Please, let me know if there is anything I can do to help Lady Yennefer, we all wish to see her return to good health soon."

"I- Yen…"

Marlene quickly accepted the tray back as Geralt got to his feet and sat on the edge of the bed as he saw her eyes flutter open for a fraction of a second before they were closed off from the world again as she let out a soft moan, wriggling slightly beneath the blanket. Even without touching her he could feel the unnatural heat radiating from her ghostly white skin.

"Yen…" He waited patiently at her side as she struggled to keep her eyes open and move back into the world of consciousness.

"Geralt…" She croaked after a few minutes, peering up at him as she lay on her side wiping some of the sleep from her eyes. "Mmmm, what… time?"

"Late afternoon." He replied, but it didn't seem as though Yennefer had heard him. Her brow was furrowed in confusion as her fingers lightly ran over the spots of blood, her blood, now staining Geralt's white shirt.

"Sorry…?" She murmured turning her gaze back to him.

"I said it's late afternoon." He answered after a moment's hesitation.

"Hmmm…too late for breakfast in bed then…shame." Said Yennefer sluggishly, shifting further up the bed as she tried to raise herself into a sitting position.

"Yen don't move." He said softly, grabbing her by the shoulders to halt her movement, causing a wave of confusion to cross her face.

"Geralt, what are you doing?" Chided Yennefer shooting him an irritated glance.

"You need to lie down Yen." The Witcher answered applying a little pressure to her shoulders, but the gesture didn't compel her to lay back down as she maintained her inclined sitting position, weight resting on her arms which were already beginning to shake from the effort. The look of bewilderment painting her face became more vivid.

"What are playing at you!" She snapped angrily, the weariness which had been burdening her features abruptly dissipating as though a sudden gust of wind had blown away the sleepiness fogging her mind though her speech was becoming increasingly unclear in her rage. "I'm not sure quite why you're looking at me like that, but stop it now because it really does nothing to improve your appearance and what's more is that it's beginning to get on my nerves."

Her nails uncomfortably dug into the bare skin of Geralt's arm as she pushed his hands away from her, kicking off the blanket, revealing her black silk nightgown, before flicking her legs over the side of the bed and spinning away from him, hair swinging around her like writhing snakes as a small moan of pain escaped her lips.

"Shit." Yennefer cried as she closed her eyes to the pain stabbing at her skull like thousands of little pinpricks as the movement once more jolted her migraine back to life. Geralt shuffled over to her, draping a hand over her waist to support her as she swayed.

"Yen, you should-"

"Geralt for god's sake I'm fine." She retorted, instantly slapping his hand away.

With a hand still clasped to her temple, the Enchantress opened her eyes. She gasped and her body went tense.

"What the hell, where am I?!" Said Yennefer accusingly, rounding on him and placing a hand on his chest to keep him back as she fixed him with a penetrating stare. "Answer me."

"Yen," he began hesitantly, unsure of what reaction his response was about to induce, "we're in Corvo Bianco, Toussaint, we live here."

"That's, that's not true." Her violet eyes narrowed dangerously but her words were nowhere near as sharp as they should be, rushing out in a hard to define jumble. "I don't know what you're playing at, Witcher, but you're walking on thin ice. Tell me where I am, now, and explain precisely why I am no longer in my house, in Vengerberg, and for your sake, I hope it's a fucking good explanation because I'm about to lose my patience. I-"

There was a soft thud, the sound of a plate hitting the carpet somewhere behind them and Yennefer whirled round in alarm. It was at that moment that she noticed the others still standing quietly in the corner of the room.

"Yen, stop!"

The Sorceress sprang to her feet but her body was still too weak to support her and both her legs buckled underneath the sudden weight. Luckily for her, Geralt was quicker.

He leapt to his feet a few precious seconds before her, positioning himself directly behind her, wrapping both his arms around her as she fell backwards like a rag doll, right into his embrace.

"Shit! What the bloody hell… going on? What the fuck did you…did you…to me, drug me and kidnap me! Let go…whoreson!"

She started thrashing around in his arms and tried to scream, but her throat was still sore and dry, the outburst bringing on more boughs of coughing which shook her small frame. Carefully he lowered her to the floor where she curled up, tucking herself up against Geralt who was practically cocooning her.

"What's…wrong…with…me…?" Yennefer said weakly, staring at the sheen of blood now coating her hand. Geralt could feel her shaking uncontrollably, whether from the spell or from the fear he saw in her wide eyes as she looked up at him, he was unsure, but he tightened his embrace. "I, I don't…understand…Geralt…"

"It's alright Yen, I've got you. Whatever it takes, you'll get through this, I promise." He whispered, squeezing her arm affectionately and pulling her hair away from her face and holding it back as she was struck by yet more coughing and violent muscle spasms which made her face contort with pain as she clung to him.

After about a minute had passed Geralt caught a quick glance of Yennefer peering wistfully up at him, opening her mouth to speak, only for her eyes to roll back into her head as unconsciousness claimed her once again.

* * *

Notes:

Hi guys hope you enjoyed this chapter, sorry that its short, I'm moving to my university tomorrow so as you can imagine everything is a bit hectic at the moment, final goodbyes, packing, paper work yada yada. Hopefully there will be another chapter within a week and a half but can't guarantee anything because I still have so much work to do on The Realm of Glass if I want to stay on track for mid-October 0_0

Hope to hear from you all soon xx


	3. Delirium

The room was quiet as Geralt carried Yennefer back over to the bed, setting her down on the soft sheets and wiping the blood from her hand with the wet cloth and bowl of water on the bedside table before throwing the blanket back over her still form and slouching down in the chair holding his head in his hands cursing under his breath. _Things had definitely just gotten worse._

"She's unconscious again." Said the Witcher looking up as he heard people shuffling over. "Vivienne, do you know what just happened?"

"I believe that Lady Yennefer is suffering from delirium, most likely induced by her other symptoms." She answered quietly, still more than a little taken aback by what had just happened, how quickly things had escalated. "That would explain the abrupt changes in emotions, memory issues and paranoia. Though, I have never seen delirium have such a drastic effect."

There was another silence. Geralt rested his head on his knuckles looking over at the Sorceress, now blissfully beautiful, lost inside the labyrinth of his mind as he tried to comprehend all that he'd just witnessed. He'd never seen Yennefer so visibly panicked before, not like she just had been…no, that wasn't the Yennefer he knew.

It would be a lie to say that Geralt had never before seen her scared, that he'd never whispered sweet nothings into her ears as he held her in his arms watching the last remnants of a nightmare slowly began to slink back into the shadows, that he'd never witnessed how the clues pointing to Ciri, to her welfare, had made her look so timorous, that he'd missed the dismay in her stance, in the way she wrapped her arms around her and in the way her voice seemed to contain less of its usual unimpeachable conviction as she let slip her wishes to him, to run away, together…for him, it was hard to ignore these few instances of pure vulnerability.

But the truth was that few other than he and Ciri could ever see this, could ever see beyond the mask she had painted for herself, but Geralt knew that this mask was imperfect and over time he learned how to look between the cracks and to understand what lay behind it, at what she hid from all but a precious few. Even without these small windows, whether Yennefer knew it or not, the mask itself so often reveals much about the artist that they would wish to remain secret. How the sculptor carves a flawless face because he is fearful of his own corrupt morality festering beneath the surface of innocent beauty, how the bard sings of the flirtatious duke and his many victories because he is so afraid of dying alone his life becomes overcrowded with lovers until none can stay beside him, how the Enchantress creates a mask of ice and cold indifference because she cannot bring herself to wear her heart on her sleeve as it still bleeds from the memories of a lifetime ago, memories belonging to another name.

No. He'd seen Yennefer terrified before, but not like that, not in a way visible to the entire world around her. That fear had been uncontrolled, unrestrained by ingrained insecurities and habits. That hadn't been Yennefer in her right state of mind.

"Is there anything we can do?" He asked after a few minutes.

"I'm afraid not, it should pass once she's returned to health but until then…" Vivienne hesitated for a moment before gently placing a hand on his shoulder, "…Lady Yennefer might also begin to hallucinate, Geralt… even possibly become violent."

"So, I have to stop a delirious Sorceress, who's paranoid, restless, hyperemotional, potentially aggressive and confused, getting out of bed and using magic, for up to two weeks, or else she could become even more dangerously ill." Nobody said anything. It sounded even more impossible when said aloud. "Great."

"All hope is not lost Geralt, with you beside her, Lady Yennefer is sure to get through this ailment, of that, I have no doubt." Said Guillaume sanguinely, offering the Witcher a broad smile which was not returned. Toussaint's unholy optimism hadn't rubbed off on him quite

yet.

"Indeed. Master Geralt, I feel that it was only our unfortunate presence that initiated such an abrupt and distressed response from Lady Yennefer, I wholly believe that if we hadn't been here then the situation would have played out entirely differently, presumably a lot calmer, and now that we have an inclination of how the Lady might react, knowing as we do now that she might be delirious, we can respond to her in a far more suitable fashion." Added Basil knowingly but not pretentiously.

"Perhaps…" Muttered Geralt. "Vivienne, what do you think?"

"I agree Sir, I witnessed just mere moments ago how she reacted to you, though at first angry, she did undoubtedly seek comfort and reassurance in you. I see no reason why you shan't be able to help keep her calm and thus to care for her, it is simply a matter of understanding her situation so you can respond appropriately." Geralt sighed.

"I don't know how you're making the impossible seem possible, but it appears you just did." Said the Witcher, looking up from the bed with a small smile. "Thank you, from both of us."

They all respectfully bowed their heads, assuring him that their aid was at his command should they need anything, before wisely leaving the bedroom, though not before Marlene had made sure that Geralt had eaten all his food. He needed to keep his strength up, after all. He sat in silence for the rest of the day, meticulously planning the next encounter.

* * *

Sitting beside her on the bed, every couple of minutes Geralt would whisper Yennefer's name, trying to reach out to her, asking her if she could hear him, gently taking her by the shoulders and shaking her when she didn't respond while he listened attentively to the sounds of her breathing. After half an hour, she regained consciousness.

"Yen…Yen, can you hear me?"

She opened her mouth to speak but no distinguishable sound passed her lips and she began to cough quietly. Geralt reached for the pitcher of apple juice nearby pouring some into a goblet which he handed to her, thinking better of trying to help her drink it. She took several greedy gulps, emptying the entire thing in but a few mouthfuls. She closed her eyes and sighed contently.

"Better?"

"Much." She croaked quietly, handing the goblet back to him.

As he set it down he saw Yennefer's body shift underneath the blanket and anticipated that she was going to try and sit up. Geralt was at once struck by a very bizarre and unnerving sense of déjà vu.

While he didn't want the Sorceress to strain herself he had to take her delirium into account. Yennefer was a bad patient when in her right mind. It was an uphill struggle to get her to give up an ounce of independence, she despised having other people fussing over her perhaps simply because she didn't like being anyone's burden and you could never believe her own account of how she fared, at times you couldn't even trust your own deductions given her apparent affliction for using concealment charms over bandages and proper care. That, he'd learnt the hard way.

Now, in her current state, she'd become the epitome of a Doctor's worst nightmare. It was impossible enough to look after Yennefer even when she knew what was happening, when there wasn't a risk of her changing temperament as quickly as Dandelion changes lovers, when she understood that she couldn't use magic or strain herself…When she didn't believe that the whole world was against her. Somehow, he needed to get Yennefer to trust him over herself.

The Witcher's keen senses saw the movement, but this time he fought the urge to stop her. Yennefer pulled herself up with aching muscles, stretched slightly, before sinking into the pillows, which Geralt had rearranged behind her, with a soft sigh, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples.

"Yen, do you know where you are?" He asked quietly. She didn't respond. "Yen…" he repeated. She opened her eyes. "Do you know where you are?"

At first, she looked at him as though he'd uttered a completely ridiculous question, but as she took her eyes off his face they went wide with alarm.

"I…" She closed her eyes, brow furrowed in confusion as she sat up straight, supporting herself with one hand outstretched behind her, the other hand held to her forehead while the cogs of her mind rattled away as she tried to find the answers currently alluding her. A couple of seconds passed before she looked at him again. The uncertainty in her voice seemed surreal. "I'm…not sure. What's…what's going on?"

He could hear the escalating panic in her voice as a small hand clutched at the blanket which she hugged tighter to her chest. Geralt needed to keep her calm but he wasn't sure he could.

"Yen, Yen it's okay, you're alright. I'll explain everything, I promise. Please, give me a chance." He said softly as he slowly reached a hand out towards her, tenderly wrapping a hand around her right wrist and rubbing his thumb over the smooth skin on the back of her hand which was now grasping the blanket. Yennefer's piercing violet eyes, which seemed slightly dulled with weariness, scrutinized his features as though trying to discern his motives. He waited patiently.

"Okay." She said in barely a whisper, giving the Witcher a small nod before resting her back once more against the cushions and watching him closely. Geralt took a deep breath.

"We're in Toussaint, Yen, on an estate called Corvo Bianco. It was given to me as a reward for a contract I did and we've lived here together for almost two years now." Yennefer still looked uneasy, anxious, but didn't instantly call out his lie but rather continued to weigh up his words.

"I…see." She murmured, raising a shaking hand towards the curtains covering the large windows and glass doors leading out to the balcony.

He nodded, taking several short strides over to the wall and slowly pulling back the curtains. It took a couple of seconds for the Sorceress' eyes to get adjusted to the light seeping into the room and she winced slightly, rubbing her temples before embracing the view. Even from her position on the bed, she had a clear view of the estate, of the warm afternoon sun sinking behind the hills, of vineyards stretching into the distance and the tops of houses standing in stark contrast to the main house. The view of Beauclair made Geralt's claim that they were in Toussaint unimpeachable, but the rest of his story… Geralt seemed to sense her doubts.

"This is the Master Bedroom," he began, sitting back down on the bed next to her and pouring out another glass of juice, "you designed it and built it while I was away, as a surprise for me. You said that you wanted this house to feel not like any home, but our home, Yen." She sighed.

"It…seems…too wonderful to…to be true." Said Yennefer sadly, holding the goblet in her hands peering into its depths. "I'm not sure I can believe you…"

She trailed off, lost in thoughts and unattainable dreams, wrenched from her delirious melancholy not by her own will, but rather by the calloused yet gentle hands which pressed over hers. Their warmth seemed to have a strange and unknown hold over her as she was compelled to look up, to hold his cat-like gaze.

"It took a long time, Yen, and it's been the hardest struggle of our lives…but we got here, we finally found our happy ending…peace. For the first time in our lives, we've been able to plan our future, together." Said Geralt softly, not breaking his gaze as he reached over to the bedside table, picking up a small book in one hand and holding it out to her. "Here, Yen."

She let him pry the goblet from her hands, replacing it with the small and beautifully bound leather book. As Yennefer turned the first page she at once recognised her own delicate, artistic handwriting covering the pages and began to skim through her words. It was a contents page listing several rooms, such as Master Bedroom, Library, Ciri's room and an armoury, as well as other features such as an Orchid and Training Area. Several things on the list had been ticked off, the Master Bedroom included, the date '1275, 22nd Lammas', noted beside it. She turned to the next page.

It contained several sketches, clearly depicting the room she was currently situated in, as well as an inventory of furnishings, building material, a timescale and various figures. Yennefer spent the next couple of minutes going through the small book, oblivious to Geralt's presence as he briefly got up from the bed.

"We had this painted last month when Ciri came to visit." He held up a large landscape portrait for her to see. He heard her sigh.

"Oh, my…"

The painting depicted the three of them, Yennefer, Geralt and Ciri, relaxing in Corvo Bianco's luscious vineyard. Geralt had his arms wrapped around Yennefer's waist, his chin resting on top of her head as luminous green light fled from her fingertips, winding its way around the vines as they basked in her magic. Ciri was sat on the floor by their feet pouring out three goblets of wine, the basket beside her overflowing with food.

"You always claimed this picture was your favourite."

"There's…we…we have more than one?" She asked. He smiled.

Resting the painting on the floor he reached down for another, and another, and another, as they went through each portrait and landscape littered around the house. Ciri the Empress. Ciri the Witcheress. Geralt the Witcher. Yennefer the Sorceress. Yennefer teaching children in the garden. The White Yule in Toussaint. Geralt and Eskel fishing. Yennefer, Geralt, Ciri and the other Witchers patching up Kaer Morhen. Yennefer on the Unicorn. Geralt slaying the Griffin. There were also various paintings and sketches Ciri had done, each of which displayed a foreign world, and all of which were marvellous.

"I…I want to believe you, Geralt…I do believe you, because as pec-peck, as strange as it, it, it all seems its right, feels right, it feels…good." She said sluggishly once all the paintings had been placed around the room for her to see, propped up on various dressers and chairs or hung back up on the wall. "So why…I can't remember?"

"There was an accident, one of the workers was poisoned. You used magic to save him, but you said the spell was imperfect, it's made you ill, but you'll recover Yen, don't worry." Said Geralt squeezing her hand, trying to ward off some of the distress which was again burdening her features, now that the distractions were gone.

"But, but what if I don't," she said in a rush, eyes suddenly beginning to widen as her breathing became fast and erratic, hands gripping her arms so tightly she risked bruising herself, or drawing blood, "what if, what if I don't ever get better, if I don't remember, if I forget even more…no…no, I can't…I can't lose this…"

"Yen." He said softly, taking her small hands and carefully trying to loosen her vice-like grip. "Yen, everything will be alright, you'll be fine, I pr-"

"But how can you know! You, you can't…no…no…what, what if I don't…no…I can't…I can't lose this, I can't lose you again, you or Ciri…No! No! I can't!"

"Yen! Yen look at me." Said Geralt forcefully, taking her head in her hands and holding her gaze in place. "Do you trust me?" Her ranting paused for a minute as she overcame her confusion before she whispered her reply

"Always."

"Then trust me now Yen. You'll be alright, you won't lose me or Ciri, I promise. Please Yen, trust me, everything's going to be okay." He continued to hold her head close to his face, brushing his thumb affectionately over her cheek as she looked up at him in silence. "I love you, Yen."

She looked at him. She closed her eyes. Her grip loosened. When she looked at Geralt again he knew at once what she wanted. Even if Yennefer didn't.

The Witcher moved closer, his back to the beadboard as he wrapped his arms around her, one of his hands intertwining with her raven locks as she pressed her head against his chest, hands coming to rest comfortably on his back as she was enveloped by his touch.

"I love you too, Geralt…thank you."

He held her tightly against him, close to the sound of his reassuring presence, until both her mind and her body began to relax and ebb further away from the dangerous abyss they'd been unknowingly teetering on. This time, Yennefer had avoided plummeting into their depths. In the blissful silence and radiating warmth of their bodies, Geralt's keen senses assured him that his love was safe, her steady breathing and strong heart beat setting his own mind to ease, possibly for the first time that day. Suddenly, the task didn't seem so daunting.

"Do you need anything, Yen? I'll bring you anything you want." Murmured Geralt into her hair.

"No, Geralt…I'm fine…please, just…stay."

"Always."

* * *

Notes:

Hi guys, hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. Mostly fluff this time without the side portion of angst I typically seem to have xD. Should be one other chapter to come, possibly just a short one to wrap things up, not sure yet.

On a side note university for me will be in full swing next week (now welcome week is almost over) but hopefully The Realm of Glass should still be on track for late October, but I urge people to check my Tumblr for updates in case anything changes.

Anyway until next time 😊


	4. Family

Several hours later and night had fallen over the landscape, but while the estate was silent, its occupants drifting away into sweet dreams, the Master of Corvo Bianco was having no such luck.

He'd spent the rest of the evening and a good part of the night sitting up in bed, cuddled up beside Yennefer as she rested her head on his chest, listening attentively to the tales and memories he told her. About the end of the Wild Hunt, about their second encounter with a djin, about the White Yule in Toussaint, about her Witcher training, about the letters they wrote each other while apart, she with Ciri and he dealing with the likes of O'Dimm and Detlaff. About how they'd found a home at long last, about how content they were.

Occasionally Yennefer gained clarity, adding what happened next, or details which slipped Geralt's mind, but more often than not the memories had only the appearance of a long-forgotten dream, fragmented memories scattered in the labyrinth of her mind, pieces of a puzzle so far apart it was hard for her to string two thoughts together, but nevertheless, she enjoyed listening to all that had been.

At some point Marlene had come up with more soup and fresh bread, as well as to ask how Yennefer fared. This time, the Sorceress did not have such a violent reaction, but instead thanked her kindly for her effort and enquired about who she was and how she had come to work here, which lead to yet another story to fill the silence as Yennefer slowly and somewhat clumsily made her way through the nourishing meal before taking some of the medication Vivienne had recommended.

But while all appeared peaceful and calm, Yennefer seemed no closer to drifting off into some much-needed rejuvenating sleep than she did of making a miraculous recovery overnight. What's more is that he dared not leave her side for even a second, fearful that without his constant presence and storytelling, his restless patient would within an instance of his leave attempt to once more leave the confines of her bed and risk a stroll into unknown consequences. So, they sat there, on the bed, together, well past midnight and into the early hours of the morning

When Yennefer finally fell asleep halfway through his account of their travels with Ciri after the Wild Hunt, the Witcher was relieved, to put it plainly. He sat there for a spell longer, just listening to her steady breathing, taking a moment to reassure himself before untangling himself from her body, pulling the blanket over her, shutting the curtains, and sitting down to meditate beside her.

* * *

Yennefer's rest was interrupted at several points during the night as she suddenly awoke to strange surroundings, blind panic taking hold of her weak body and fragile sanity until Geralt's gentle caresses and soft whispers soothed her fears until, still wrapped up in his arms, sleep claimed her. As the morning light tried to shine through the curtains Yennefer's unrest was banished and she slept soundly well past midday, never once waking, which gave Geralt an opportune moment to speak with their new visitor.

"Geralt, I came as soon as I heard, how is she?" Said Ciri in a rush as she walked through the bedroom door, striding over to the bed with a worried expression.

"She'll be fine Ciri, just needs proper care." He answered quickly, breaking his meditative stance and getting to his feet gesturing for her to take a seat as he perched on the end of the bed.

"Easier said than done." She murmured automatically. He smiled. "What's wrong with Yennefer? Philippa mentioned something about a spell."

"There was an attack in one of the vineyards, giant centipede. It managed to poison one of the workers before we could kill it."

"Who was it?"

"Matilda's father."

"Oh…"

"He's fine now, but that's where the trouble begins…Yen used a magic to extract the poison, a spell she'd been working on, for you and I, the only problem is that it wasn't finished yet, Yen said it would have…side effects…"

He trailed off. Ciri could see the guilt written across his face. She reached over and squeezed his hand, giving him a small smile.

"It's not your fault, Geralt." She said kindly. "You know what Mothers like, you couldn't have known what would happen and even if you had, you couldn't have stopped her." He sighed.

"I know…"

* * *

Ciri spent the next hour or so listening to Geralt's explanations of Yennefer's symptoms and the care she needed while the Enchantress in question continued her unnaturally deep slumber.

"Well, this is going to be an interesting week." Exclaimed Ciri with exaggerated cheeriness as the Witcher concluded his briefing. "You already look like shit, Geralt."

"Thanks." He said sardonically, scratching his beard which still had several small specks of blood in it.

"Go and get some rest, Geralt, I'll stay with Yennefer." He hesitated for a moment. "Go, Geralt."

"Okay."

Yennefer moaned softly as the mattress sprung up slightly as the bed's second occupancy scoured the room for a fresh change of clothes, careful not to knock over any of the paintings. As he opened the door, he paused for a moment, hand still on the doorknob.

"When do you need to go back?" He asked quietly.

"When Mother is better, and not a second before. Emhyr has been surprisingly… understanding. He said to take as long as I need, as long as Yennefer needs." He smiled.

"At least something good has come of this."

* * *

Midday had just begun to make its transformation into the early afternoon when Yennefer began to show some signs of life, moaning indistinguishably as she began fidgeting around on the bed to make herself more comfortable.

"Mmmm…" She mumbled as she stretched, rolling onto her back and causing the blanket to slide further down her torso. "God…my head…"

"Mother." She stopped moving. There was a slight pause. Yennefer opened her eyes. And smiled.

"Oh, Ciri…"

Pushing aside the drums thumping away in her skull and the sense of nausea swirling around in her stomach Yennefer slowly raised herself up from the bed and pulled Ciri into an embrace.

"It's good to see you again, Ciri." She said quietly, kissing the top of her head before allowing the young woman to pull away only to then be examined at arms-length from head to toe. "My, my, you truly are becoming a fine young lady." Ciri chuckled.

"You say that every time you see me."

"Because you've yet, yet to, to prove me wrong." She said, tucking a piece of stray ashen hair behind Ciri's ear and gently brushing a thumb over her cheek. Ciri laughed.

"That sounds like a challenge."

"To what? Break your Mother's heart? Oh Ciri, how, how could you." She retorted dramatically, flawlessly mimicking one of Dandelion's many flamboyant and excessive hand gestures and expressions. They giggled stupidly.

"While I might always feel more comfortable in trousers and with a sword on my back, I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't beginning to grow even a little bit appreciative of silk and fine furs. But I wouldn't get your hopes up that I'll ever be as lady-like as, the Duchess, for example."

"Can you imagine the look on our dear Witcher's face, on, on Geralt's face, if he ever caught you wearing something as elaborate, frilly and large as one of her dresses."

"It would probably look something like this."

They laughed again, but the mood suddenly turned serious as Yennefer's giggles rapidly escalated into a series of coughs that made her head spin and her stomach churn up in pain. Ciri poured out a glass of water as the Sorceress sank back down onto the bed looking thoroughly expended.

"Should I put some of this stuff in it?" Asked Ciri bringing both the goblet and small vial of medicine over to the bed. Yennefer gave her a quizzical look. It took a couple of seconds for things to click. "Oh shit, I forgot. Yennefer, do you know where you are, can you remember what happened?"

"Ciri what are you, mumbl, bumbling on about?" She replied with that slightly mocking

yet melodic tone of voice. "It would seem that the Toussaint heat as put strange notions in your head…why do you look…so, so concerned. Fine, I will answer you if, if these answers are truly of such importance to you."

She reached over for the goblet on the bedside table, shaking hands bringing it closer to her face as she took another large gulp before placing it back, spilling several drops on the floor.

"Corvo Bianco, to put it bluntly. To be more precise…our home, Geralt and I, yours too, of course, that goes without saying. As for the latter of your questions, I must admit that the answer is a lot less clear and perhaps somewhat troub, troubling. As I recall we were on our way back from Beauclair, yet as to what, what happened after that…I…I presume I fainted or something of the ilk and Geralt has had a severe and stage-worthy overreaction reaction to this… problem, which has landed me here, in bed, with you fussing over me. Though, should…though should that be the case then I must wonder precisely why, Geralt, Geralt has forgone the role of Mother Hen he does so truly, seem…seem to enjoy."

"I relieved Geralt from duty, he needs rest, he hasn't left your bedside for over a day…"

"A day?" Repeated Yennefer uncertainty. "No, that doesn't seem right…how, how long have I been out?" Ciri looked uncomfortable, this wasn't what she'd expected.

"Well, you haven't been unconscious the entire time, you've slept for almost half the day now-"

"Ciri, get to the point, please." She reprimanded, hair spilling down her face messily as she lay on the bed, on her side, looking up at Ciri.

"Geralt told me you used an incomplete spell, it made you ill, you passed out and when you came around you were delirious, couldn't remember where you were, what happened." Yennefer groaned loudly, covering her face with her hands to hide her consternation, rolling away from Ciri and onto her back. After a few seconds, she lowered her hands and stared up at the ceiling.

"Geralt…I…Oh, what a mess I've made…I, I need to find Geralt…"

Her fingers went unconsciously to her neck as she whimpered quietly, as though unaware she was voicing her thoughts out loud, fingers tumbling for the star no longer hung around her slender neck its absence causing her hands to instead rub and pinch some of the skin on her neck, nails faintly scratching her.

"I…" The sound of her voice momentarily seemed to snap the Sorceress from her stupor as she looked at her hopefully.

 _I can go get him_. That's what she wanted to say. That was the answer lingering on her lips until she'd bit her tongue. But no, she couldn't say that. That would be the easy way out. Hand her back over to Geralt to deal with. But no. How many times had Yennefer spent a great deal of time and strength caring for her, for her wounds, for more than just that. She never left it to anyone else, well, to Geralt maybe, sometimes, but only on those rare occasions when she didn't know the right thing to say. Ciri wouldn't leave her now, besides, Geralt needed her help as much as Yennefer did, whether he'd like to believe it or not.

"He'll be back soon Mother, don't worry."

"I've, I've made another mess, Ciri…like last time, but I promised, promised I wouldn't let it happen again, that I, I'd try…promised to let him, be there for me…need to find him-"

"Mother!"

Yennefer went silent immediately, as though Ciri had reached out and held a knife to her throat, and she remained so as the young woman knelt on the floor beside the bed, crossing her arms on top of the mattress, resting her chin on them right in front of Yennefer's face.

"Mother, this is nothing like last time. I'm not angry. Geralt isn't angry. You haven't done anything wrong, you kept those promises Mother. You let him, us, worry, there isn't anything wrong, I promise."

Yennefer didn't say anything at first. She just lay still on her back, still and silent, face turned towards Ciri, holding her gaze. She still said nothing as she rolled onto her side, her hands coming away from her throat and missing star to rest on Ciri's head, tenderly stroking her hair. She smiled. As always, it was filled with sincerity.

"Okay, I, I trust you, thank you, my child."

* * *

Notes:

Hi guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter, sorry its late I was struck unexpectedly but not unsurprisingly by fresher's flue and just didn't have the strength to do uni work and work, but I'm more or less better now so the next and last chapter shouldn't take as long to come out :)


	5. Nightmares

Just under a week later and things were almost back to normal. During the day, when her mind wasn't as greatly impeded, she could recall everything that had happened up until the last day or two and could easily hold a conversation and speak clearly. During the night, when the delirium truly took its hold on her, Yennefer's speech was sometimes still jumbled and her memories extended as far as a year ago so she was no longer panicked by her surroundings, much to Ciri and Geralt's delight.

Physically, her illness had also greatly subsided. Her small body was no longer wracked by violent coughs, she wasn't shaking as much, she'd regained her appetite as well as the ability to keep her food down, all that remained was the weariness and habit of falling off to sleep during the day and being unable to sleep during the night.

While the pair still wouldn't let Yennefer get up and move around, they had taken to carrying her out onto the balcony to lie on the sun lounger, so that they good look at the night sky together and stare out over the estate, Ciri and Geralt pointing out some of infamous settings of the tales they had spun for her.

Everything was going well…too well…

* * *

Geralt had been asleep in the guest room situated across from the master bedroom when he heard her screaming. He got up from the bed immediately and headed for the door.

As sad as it was to admit, it was nothing particularly out of the ordinary for him to wake up in the middle of the night to Yennefer's screams as she thrashed around on the bed beside him, getting knotted up and ensnared in the blankets as she was haunted by whatever foul nightmare plagued her mind like a lingering disease that night.

Ciri was standing over Yennefer as he walked in, trying and failing to pin her to the bed to stop her from hurting herself as she tussled and turned, screaming and screaming in fear. As she saw him come over she moved aside, knowing that he would have a much better hope of trying to hold her still.

"Yen…Yen…" He repeated over and over kneeling on the bed beside her, his left knee digging into the mattress his right foot on the other side of her body to keep him balanced as he leant over her, hands fastened carefully around her wrists as he pushed them against the bed just above her head.

She fought against whatever restraint was holding her back, thrashing around more wildly, throwing her head from side to side sending hair tumbling over her face. Then he felt his medallion vibrate very gently. Several of the candles went out.

"Shit." Said Ciri as she began to fumble through the draws for another source of light. The thought of a delirious, sick Yennefer waking up in the middle of the night, having just had a nightmare, in almost complete darkness, was not a thought she wanted to entertain. Not in the slightest. "Shit, fuck! There aren't any more candles in here."

"Check the bott-"

"There aren't any more Geralt." He cursed. Yennefer usually made sure they had plenty of candles. Always. But he'd forgotten. And at the worst possible moment. How was it possible to have such phenomenally bad luck?

"Go to the cellar. We keep some in the lab." She nodded and ran out the door. _First thing I'm going to do when this is all over is find some everlasting candles,_ he thought bitterly.

Yennefer's heart continued to beat against her chest as cold sweat clung to her face, she took fast, sharp breaths as though having a panic attack. Just after the door swung shut behind Ciri, she flung her eyes open and looked up at Geralt. But it didn't look as though she'd seen him.

"Yen, Yen, calm down."

Usually, when Yennefer woke from a nightmare, she would huddle up against him, falling limp in his embrace, in his warmth and touch as he soothed away her pains, holding her protectively until her heart beat with it normal rhythm and her breathing became steady as she fell asleep still wrapped up in his arms. However, now his reassurances appeared to fall on deaf ears as the tension in the Sorceress' body did not flee, nor did the erratic movement, she continued to struggle against him eyes darting around the room still wide with fright.

"No! No! The Hunt, the Hunt, no, no, no. Ciri! Geralt! Noooooo!" Now Geralt understood. The nightmare had crept into her consciousness. She was hallucinating.

"Yen, I'm here, it's Geralt. Yen you're okay, listen to me."

She twisted and turned on the bed trying to get loose, muttering constantly, completely oblivious to his presence. Holding her wrists with one hand he tried to reach over for the candle sitting on the bedside table, hoping that the light might give her some clarity, but as he was leaning over he felt his medallion vibrate again.

He toppled off the bed as a small force pushed against him in just the right spot to make him lose his balance. Quickly he got to his knees and tried to make a grab for her but missed as she rolled to the other side of the bed and then onto the floor with a thud. He cursed. If she strained herself again they'd be back at square one.

Using the draws to help her, Yennefer pulled herself up and flattened herself against the wall looking at the empty space in terror, then, she brought her arms up over her head as though shielding herself from something, before pushing off the wall and backing away, raising up her hands.

"gwnewch eu harfogaeth gyda llwch- mmmmuhmmuuhuh."

A large calloused hand covered her mouth suffocating the spell as Geralt ran up behind her throwing an arm around her chest to pin her arms to her side. She let out a muffled scream and started to squirm around desperately in his grip and tried to pull his hands away.

"Yen, Yen calm down. It's Geralt, I've got you, calm down, you're safe." He whispered softly into her ear, once, twice. It wasn't until the third time that he got a reaction.

Slowly her hands began to pull at his arms with less and less conviction and she kicked and fidgeted less fiercely as he continued to whisper her name. Once she was still he took his hand away from her mouth and let go of her. Yennefer turned around, looked up at him for a split second, before flinging her arms around him, burying her head in his chest.

"It's alright Yen." Said Geralt as he stroked her hair, resting his chin comfortably on the top of her head and wrapping an arm around her waist. She didn't say anything, just clung to him.

After about a minute or so she pulled away but did not leave his embrace, hands resting on his bare chest, small body still pressed against him as he held her.

"Let's go back to sleep, Yen."

"I can't." She said, watching her fingers trace one of the scars on his chest.

"Why not?"

There was a brief silence, Yennefer traced the scar again before peering up at him with unimaginable innocence.

"I'm scared." She said quietly as though she didn't want to hear her own confession out loud.

"Yen…" He said softly, resting his forehead against hers, brushing aside some of her raven locks as he tenderly cupped the side of her face, brushing his thumb over her cheek. "You don't need to be afraid, Yen. I'll be here and I wouldn't ever let something happen to you. I promise. I love you, Yen." She smiled.

"I love you too."

She rested her head back on his chest as he picked her up, carrying her over to the bed and laying her down before going to rest beside her. When Ciri came in several moments later with more candles Yennefer was fast asleep in Geralt's arms.

There weren't any more instances after that and more importantly, despite Geralt's fears, Yennefer hadn't got any worse, but quite the contrary. Within a day, she was back on her feet.

* * *

"Please stop fussing, the pair of you, I'm perfectly fine and would like nothing better than to finally get out of this godforsaken bed and actually feel the ground beneath my feet." Chided Yennefer the next day as Geralt and Ciri hovered over her bedside. "So, would you please move aside, I'm in no danger of crumbling to dust the second I stand up, in fact, I think I'm more likely to die of hunger if you keep me from going to lunch any longer."

With a flick of her wrist, she shooed them away from the bed, swinging her legs over the side and getting to her feet. She groaned softly.

"Urgh, I think a bath might be in order, God I feel so stiff- would you stop pulling those faces at me, I told you I'm fine. Go and get ready, go."

Yennefer got changed as Ciri and Geralt collected some food for the picnic in the orchid. When she left the bedroom, they were standing right outside the door in a way that instantly made her suspicious. The pair looked at each other, smiled and then, before the Sorceress could ask what was so funny, had pulled her into a hug.

"We missed you, Mother." Said Ciri as they stood there in the upstairs foyer together, lilac and gooseberries filling their senses.

"I…thank you, Geralt, Ciri. I don't know where I'd be without out you two. Thank you…"

* * *

Notes:

Hi guys, hope you enjoyed this short little finale. I'm sorry its rather short and abrupt, honestly I was struggling to think how to end this and between Uni and The Realm of Glass I just don't have time to ponder over it :P

Also, if anyone is interested, this event takes place a week before the proposal mentioned in Promises of Love, and Death 😊


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